Asia-Pacific venue management company AEG Ogden has named Eden Park’s Guy Ngata as the general manager of the new Dubai Arena.
Ngata, the former chief executive of New Zealand’s largest stadium that has a 50,000 capacity, is to step down from his post in November.
The New Zealand-born executive will take over operations at the 20,000-capacity Dubai Arena, which AEG claims will be the new “go-to” venue for concerts, sports and other live entertainment in the Middle East when it opens next year.
“Guy is an outstanding venue manager and well respected throughout the industry globally,” said Harvey Lister, chief executive of AEG Ogden.
“We are very fortunate to have him return to AEG Ogden to manage what we believe will be the ‘go-to’ venue in the Middle East region for large scale international music concerts, sporting and other entertainment events.”
During his time at Eden Park, Ngata helped the stadium to its most profitable year outside of a World Cup year in 2016. The venue is on target to significantly exceed that result this year, AEG Ogden said.
Ngata said: “I leave Eden Park having achieved some tremendous results there but looking forward to the challenge afforded to me by AEG Ogden to manage this magnificent world-class venue.
“I am really excited about building my executive team and working with Meraas to deliver an innovative, NBA standard arena that will put Dubai on the on the international entertainment touring circuit and make a major contribution to the Emirates continued development as a major tourism destination.”
Between 2012 and 2015, Ngata worked for the then Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia. He previously spent two and a half years as general manager of the Mercedes-Benz Arena in China from 2011.
Image: Dubai Arena
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